Hamisu m HausaFrom Arabic
خامس (khāmis) meaning
"fifth", a derivative of
خمسة (khamsa) meaning "five". It is sometimes added to a given name to indicate the fifth sibling bearing it.
Haukea f HawaiianMeans
"white snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
kea "white".
Haunani f HawaiianMeans
"beautiful snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
nani "beauty, glory".
Hōkūlani f HawaiianMeans
"heavenly star" from Hawaiian
hōkū "star" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Ibrahim m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian, Pashto, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Avar, Bosnian, Dhivehi, Albanian, Hausa, SwahiliArabic form of
Abraham, also used in several other languages. This form appears in the Quran.
Ifeoma f IgboMeans
"good thing" in Igbo, derived from
ífé meaning "thing" and
ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Ifunanya f IgboMeans
"love" in Igbo (literally "to see in one's eye").
Ige f & m YorubaMeans
"born feet first" in Yoruba.
Itai 2 m & f ShonaFrom Shona
ita meaning
"do, act, perform".
Itumeleng m & f TswanaMeans
"be happy" in Tswana, from
itumela meaning "to be happy".
Jatau m HausaMeans
"fair-coloured, light" in Hausa.
Jugurtha m Ancient Berber (Latinized), BerberLatinized form of Berber
Yugurten meaning
"he surpassed them, he overcome them". Jugurtha was a 2nd-century BC king of Numidia who fought against the Roman Republic. He was eventually captured and executed in Rome.
Jummai f HausaFrom Hausa
Jumma'a meaning
"Friday" (of Arabic origin).
Kahina f BerberDerived from Arabic
الكاهنة (al-Kāhina) meaning
"the diviner, the fortuneteller". This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.
Kaimana m & f HawaiianFrom Hawaiian
kai "ocean, sea" and
mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word
diamond.
Kaipo m & f HawaiianMeans
"the sweetheart" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
ipo "sweetheart".
Kalani m & f HawaiianMeans
"the heavens" from Hawaiian
ka "the" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Kalei m & f HawaiianMeans
"the flowers" or
"the child" from Hawaiian
ka "the" and
lei "flowers, lei, child".
Kaleo m HawaiianMeans
"sound, voice" from Hawaiian
ka "the" and
leo "sound, voice".
Kamalani f & m HawaiianMeans
"heavenly child" or
"royal child" from Hawaiian
kama "child" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Kamaria f ComorianFrom Arabic
qamar meaning
"moon", also the root of the name of the island country of the Comoros.
Kamau m KikuyuMeaning unknown. This was the birth name of the Kenyan president Jomo Kenyatta (1897-1978).
Kanani f HawaiianMeans
"the beauty" from Hawaiian
ka "the" and
nani "beauty, glory".
Kapono m HawaiianMeans
"the good one" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
pono "good, moral".
Kapua f & m HawaiianMeans
"the flower" or
"the child" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
pua "flower, offspring".
Kato m GandaMeans
"second of twins" in Luganda.
Kauʻi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the youthful one" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
uʻi "youth, beauty".
Kawehi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the adornment" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
wehi "adornment".
Keahi f & m HawaiianMeans
"the fire" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ahi "fire".
Keala f & m HawaiianMeans
"the path" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ala "path".
Kealoha f & m HawaiianMeans
"the loved one" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
aloha "love".
Keanu m & f HawaiianMeans
"the cool breeze" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Kefilwe m & f TswanaMeans
"I was given" in Tswana, derived from
filwe "given".
Kehinde m & f YorubaMeans
"comes last" in Yoruba. It is typically given to the second of twins.
Keitumetse f & m TswanaMeans
"I am happy" in Tswana, from
itumetse meaning "happy".
Kekoa m HawaiianMeans
"the warrior" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
koa "warrior, koa tree".
Kelebogile f & m TswanaMeans
"I am thankful" in Tswana, derived from
leboga "to be thankful, to thank".
Keola m HawaiianMeans
"the life" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ola "life, health".
Keone m & f HawaiianMeans
"the homeland" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
one "sand, homeland".
Kiana 1 f Hawaiian, EnglishHawaiian form of
Diana. It was brought to wider attention in the late 1980s, likely by the Hawaiian fitness instructor Kiana Tom (1965-), who had a television show on ESPN beginning in 1988.
Kofi m AkanMeans
"born on Friday" in Akan.
Kwaku m AkanMeans
"born on Wednesday" in Akan.
Kwame m AkanMeans
"born on Saturday" in Akan.
Ladi f HausaFrom Hausa
Lahadi meaning
"Sunday" (of Arabic origin).
Lani f HawaiianMeans
"sky, heaven, royal, majesty" in Hawaiian.
Lawal m HausaFrom Arabic
أوّل (ʾawwal) meaning
"first". It is sometimes added to the name of the first of multiple siblings who share the same given name.
Leilani f & m HawaiianMeans
"heavenly flowers" or
"royal child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Leimomi f HawaiianMeans
"pearl lei" or
"pearl child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
momi "pearl".
Lesego m & f TswanaMeans
"luck, blessing" in Tswana, from
sego "blessed".
Lethokuhle f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"bring goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots
letha "to bring" and
hle "beautiful, good".
Lisakhanya f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"still shining" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the roots
sa "still, continuing" and
khanya "to shine".
Lovemore m Southern AfricanFrom the English words
love and
more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.
Lubanzi m & f Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"it is wide" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the phrase
uthando lubanzi "love is wide".
Maile f HawaiianFrom the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Maina m KikuyuMeans
"sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The
Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
Malia f Hawaiian, English (Modern)Hawaiian form of
Maria. This name experienced a spike in popularity in 2009, due to the eldest daughter (born 1998) of the new American president Barack Obama.
Masego f TswanaMeans
"blessings" in Tswana, from
sego "blessed".
Massinissa m Ancient Berber (Latinized), BerberLatinized form of Berber
Masensen meaning
"their lord". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Berber chieftain. He became the first king of Numidia after allying himself with the Roman Republic against Carthage.
Māui m & f Hawaiian, Polynesian MythologyMeaning unknown. In Hawaiian mythology Māui was a trickster who created the Hawaiian Islands by having his brothers fish them out of the sea. He was also responsible for binding the sun and slowing its movement.
Melokuhle f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"stand for goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots
mela "to stand for, to represent" and
hle "beautiful, good".
Minenhle f & m ZuluFrom Zulu
imini "day" and
hle "beautiful".
Mpho m & f Tswana, SothoMeans
"gift" in Tswana and Sotho, a derivative of
fa "to offer".
Mubiru m GandaMeaning unknown. This is the name of a figure in Ganda mythology associated with forests and hunting.
Mukami f KikuyuPossibly means
"the one who milks the cows" in Kikuyu.
Mumbi f KikuyuMeans
"she who shapes" in Kikuyu. In Kikuyu mythology Mumbi was the wife of Gikuyu and the mother of his nine daughters.
Munashe m & f ShonaMeans
"with God" in Shona, derived from
ishe meaning "lord, God".
Munyaradzi m ShonaMeans
"comforter, consoler" in Shona, from
nyaradza "to make quiet, to console".
Mwangi m KikuyuMeans
"rapid expansion" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations. The
Mwangi generation started around the beginning of the 20th century and lasted for about 30 years.
Mwenya f & m ChewaFrom the Chewa word for a type of flowering tree (species Breonadia salicina).
Naa f GaFrom a Ga word used as a feminine royal title.
Nālani f & m HawaiianMeans
"the heavens" or
"the chiefs" from Hawaiian
nā, a definite article, and
lani "heaven, sky, chief".
Naliaka f LuhyaMeans
"born during the weeding season", from Luhya
liliaka meaning "weeding".
Nana 4 m & f AkanFrom an Akan word used as a title of a monarch.
Neo 1 f & m TswanaMeans
"gift" in Tswana, a derivative of
naya "to give".
Netsai f ShonaFrom Shona
netsa meaning
"trouble, annoy, bother".
Nii m GaFrom a Ga word used as a masculine royal title.
Njeri f KikuyuMeans
"travelling one" in Kikuyu. Njeri (or Wanjeri) is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Njinga m & f MbunduPossibly from a Bantu root meaning
"to twist, to wrap" (
kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.
Nkemdilim f IgboMeans
"that which is mine belongs to me" in Igbo.
Nkruma m & f AkanMeans
"ninth born child" in Akan.
Nnamdi m IgboMeans
"my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.
Nneka f IgboMeans
"mother is greater" in Igbo.
Nnenna f IgboMeans
"father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.
Nnenne f IgboMeans
"mother's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's maternal grandmother.
Noelani f HawaiianMeans
"heavenly mist" from Hawaiian
noe "mist" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Nonhle f XhosaFrom the Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
hle "beautiful".
Nosipho f Zulu, XhosaFrom the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
isipho "gift".